As the post-COVID behavioral health crisis continues to strain the system, Guardian Recovery and NH Healthy Families open a direct path to detox care for Granite Staters who need it most
PORTLAND, ME — April 2026 — For thousands of New Hampshire residents struggling with addiction and relying on Medicaid, the path to treatment has long been defined by a single, discouraging word: wait. Today, that wait gets shorter.
Guardian Recovery, a leading multi-state behavioral health and addiction treatment organization, has formalized a contract with NH Healthy Families — a Centene Corporation subsidiary operating under the Ambetter brand — granting NH Healthy Families members direct access to 21 detoxification beds at Guardian Recovery’s Pine Tree facility in Portland, Maine.
The agreement arrives at a critical moment. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just disrupt the healthcare system — it fundamentally reshaped the behavioral health crisis in America. Demand for addiction treatment surged as economic hardship, isolation, and grief drove increased substance use across the country. At the same time, the healthcare infrastructure meant to absorb that demand buckled: in-person behavioral health visits dropped by as much as 75% during the height of the pandemic, and the system has struggled to fully recover ever since.
New Hampshire has felt that strain acutely. While the state has made meaningful strides — drug overdose deaths fell more than 33% from 2023 to 2024, the largest single-year decline in over a decade — significant gaps in care remain. According to state data, three out of four Granite Staters who needed substance use disorder treatment during the 2022–2023 period did not receive it. Medicaid enrollment itself contracted sharply after the end of the federal continuous enrollment provision in 2023, leaving many individuals without the coverage they had come to rely on for behavioral health services. And proposed federal Medicaid cuts and new work reporting requirements now threaten to further destabilize a system still finding its footing.
For individuals in acute withdrawal or crisis, a delay of even 24 to 48 hours can mean the difference between entering treatment and walking away entirely. This partnership is a direct response to that reality.
“No one should have to wait for treatment because of the insurance they carry,” said DJ Prince, Chief Strategy Officer at Guardian Recovery. “Our partnership with NH Healthy Families reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that Medicaid members in New Hampshire have timely access to the same high-quality, evidence-based care that every person deserves.”
Doubling Capacity Where It Matters Most
Guardian Recovery already has deep roots in the region. Plymouth House, its long-standing facility in Plymouth, New Hampshire, has served the community for more than 20 years and earned a strong reputation for addiction treatment outcomes. But with only nine detox beds, Plymouth House has faced real constraints in serving patients at the most acute level of care.
Pine Tree changes that equation — more than doubling Guardian Recovery’s regional detox capacity with 21 available beds. NH Healthy Families members who previously lacked a viable path to timely detox or residential care now have a direct route.
NH Healthy Families recognized the strength of Guardian Recovery’s clinical outcomes, its longstanding presence in the Maine and New Hampshire treatment community, and the significant bed availability at Pine Tree — factors that made this partnership a natural fit for expanding access to their membership.
Closing the Medicaid Treatment Gap
Medicaid is the single largest payer for substance use disorder treatment in the United States, and New Hampshire’s program has become a key pillar in the state’s fight against the opioid epidemic — with nearly 10,000 Granite Staters receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder through Medicaid as of recent data. The stakes of maintaining and expanding Medicaid-covered treatment access have never been higher.
Guardian Recovery has made it a core part of its mission to ensure that Medicaid coverage is never a barrier to quality addiction care — a commitment reflected in its growing network of facilities across New Jersey, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Texas, as well as virtual counseling services nationwide.
“Quality, evidence-based addiction treatment through Medicaid is not just possible — it should be expected,” Prince added. “This partnership is another step toward making that a reality for more people.”
About Guardian Recovery Guardian Recovery is a multi-state behavioral health and addiction treatment organization with facilities across New Jersey, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Texas, as well as virtual counseling services nationwide. Guardian Recovery is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based treatment for substance use and mental health disorders, ensuring that every individual has access to the care they deserve. For more information, visit www.guardianrecovery.com.
About NH Healthy Families NH Healthy Families is a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, one of the nation’s leading managed care organizations. Operating under the Ambetter brand, NH Healthy Families provides managed care Medicaid services to residents of New Hampshire, connecting members with quality healthcare providers and resources across the state.
